Abstract

RECYCLING OF AGRO-INDUSTRIAL WASTES UTILIZED FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF GROWTH AND YIELD OF SOLANUM SURRATENSE BURM.F.

G. Sakthivigneswari and *Vijayalakshmi A.

ABSTRACT

Corncob and coirpith are the abundant agro-industrial waste in India. Major part of these agro wastes are burnt in the field due to lack of proper management techniques which creates severe environmental pollution, health hazards to human beings and animals. So, in our present study, to decompose the corncob and coirpith agro-industrial waste using the mushroom spawn Pleurotus sajor-caju and earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae. Medicinally important plant Solanum surratense Burm.f. was selected as the test plant to assess the influence of biocompost on vegetative and yield parameters. Six different types of biocompost (5t/ha) was prepared by using corncob and coirpith agroindustrial waste. (Dose recommended by TNAU, Coimbatore). The pot culture experiments were carried out in the test crop to assess the influence of biocompost. The highest vegetative growth (25, 50, 75 DAS) and yield parameters (90 DAS) of the plant was observed in the treatment T6- compost 6 (Raw coirpith predigested by using Pleurotus sajor-caju and Eudrilus eugeniae (5t /ha) followed by T3- compost 3 (Raw corncob predigested by using Pleurotus sajor-caju and Eudrilus eugeniae (5t/ha). In conclusion, corncob and coirpith based biocompost can be used as an appropriate alternative growth medium. To prevent the environmental hazards from extensive application of synthetic fertilizer, biocompost could be recommended to farmers to ensure the public health and sustainable agriculture.

Keywords: DAS- Days After Sowing, Eudrilus eugeniae, Pleurotus sajor-caju, TTreatment.